Just Got Wicked
by Christa Weald
Summary: Completed Two Daybreak agents. One assignment. Two separate soulmate connections that will create turmoil, love and heartache throughout.
1. Part 1

Title: Just got Wicked  
  
Author: Christa Weald  
  
Email: vampyrehunteruk@yahoo.co.uk  
  
Spoilers: Basic Night World  
  
Disclaimer: Night World is the property of LJS and I'm just borrowing it for fun. Unrecognised characters and anything else are mine.  
  
Summary: Two Daybreak agents. One assignment. Two separate soulmate connections that will create turmoil, love and heartache throughout the task..   
  
Warnings: some mild language and an f/f soulmate relationship.  
  
Notes: as always, feedback would be very much appreciated.  
  
Part 1  
  
"I don't know how you do it."  
  
Meegan Hawthorne looked over at her friend Shadow Branch, dropping her off outside her ordinary suburban house. Sometimes Meegan wondered that herself. She shrugged in her usual bland and careless manner. "People would notice if I suddenly disappeared." She made a face of disgust.  
  
Shadow smiled, shaking her head. "You just killed three people. Then tomorrow - you're going to go back to your high school and live your normal stupid cheerleader crap life. I don't know *how* you do it."  
  
"You do the same job," Meegan pointed out, reaching for her denim backpack.   
  
"Yeah, but I don't have to go back to a human family who don't have a clue what I am."  
  
Shadow had a point. She was lucky in that respect. Meegan opened the car door, then cursed under her breath as she noticed a face peering out of an upstairs window. Shadow saw too. "You could always kill her," she suggested, grey eyes twinkling in the light from the moon.  
  
"If only," Meegan snorted. "See ya."  
  
She left Shadow's car, finding her door key. She walked slowly up the stairs, almost expecting a confrontation. But her pain in the ass perfect twin sister Sincerity didn't come out of the room. Meegan breathed a small sigh of relief as she entered her own bedroom. Shadow was so much luckier than she was. She would go back to her apartment where she lived with her boyfriend and two best friends. She didn't have parents and sisters to worry about. She just had herself. Meegan envied that.  
  
According to her parents she was a high school senior, popular, smart, on the cheerleading team, dating the quarter back of the high school football squad, the image of the perfect American daughter with her twin sister by her side.  
  
What parents wanted to know the truth really was their so-called perfect daughter was a werewolf who worked as a professional assassin for a supernatural society that wasn't even supposed to exist but did?  
  
* * *  
  
"What'd you think she *does* sneaking off for half the night?"  
  
Sincerity shook her head, not knowing how to answer her friend Kitty's question. It wasn't the first time she had caught Meegan sneaking in in the middle of night. Before now, she had always let it go, assuming her sister had been with her boyfriend, but last time she had asked him Brian had insisted Meegan was not with him.  
  
"I have no idea," she admitted, pacing around the bed.  
  
Kitty yawned, stretched out in a sleeping bag at the foot of the bed. They had spent the better part of the evening studying for a math test the following morning.  
  
"Then if we don't know what Meegan's up to can you stop pacing and go back to bed?"  
  
Sincerity sighed, nodding in agreement, turning off the light. But she couldn't sleep. She and Meegan had always been inseparable when they were growing up. They had always done everything together. Lately though, Meegan had been drifting. She was different - snappy, cruel and mean. The twins were known for being nice to everyone. The other students at the high school loved them. As far as Sincerity was aware, anyway. They were always helpful and polite. She tutored part time in French and Chemistry. Meegan...had been slipping a lot. She sneered at and teased the less popular students, made crude and nasty remarks and sneaked out doing god-knew-what for half the night. ^I'll find out what you're up to,^ she thought, eyes fluttering shut as sleep finally started overtaking her. ^You can't keep secrets forever.^  
  
* * *  
  
The task Lord Thierry had given Ginger Kellohann was simple information gathering. Word had come of a new group of Night World assassins working out of a rich part of Chicago. She was supposed to infiltrate the local high school they had tracked one of the assassins to and report what she could learn. Unfortunately, as simple as that sounded, for Ginger, trouble had an uncanny habit of following her everywhere she went. Ginger only wanted to help Daybreak, but didn't *quite* seem to have complete control of her witch magic. Things had an uncanny habit of exploding a lot when ginger helped.  
  
"I'm going to die, I just *know* it."  
  
Ginger scowled at Sam Barlow, the werewolf who had been assigned to work with her on the case. Sam was eyeing her dubiously. Like she had the plague or something unpleasant. "What?"  
  
"That would be the whole explosion thing that happens whenever you're around," Sam answered.  
  
"They were accidents, I didn't do it on purpose," Ginger grumbled.   
  
"I'm so dead," Sam sighed, pulling the car into the high school parking lot.   
  
* * * 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
Meegan groaned, ignoring the alarm clock, pulling the pillow around her head. Ugh, she was not looking forward to the day ahead. That sickening perfect girl routine. Trying to get some sense into her stupid sister's head that the people she thought adored them, probably absolutely hated the twins and were plotting their demise. Sincerity was far too blind to see the reality of popularity in human high school.  
  
She was seriously staring to consider Shadow's advice of killing the bitch.   
  
"Are you *ever* planning on getting up?" Sincerity breezed in without even knocking and turned off Meegan's alarm clock.   
  
"No. Go away," Meegan muttered.  
  
"What's wrong with you? We'll be late if you don't get your but in gear," Sincerity went on, grabbing the pillow from Meegan's hands and yanking back the covers.  
  
"My god, is that a *tattoo*?" If Meegan had been more awake, she would have found the shock in her sister's voice amusing. She'd almost forgotten. When she had been bitten the werewolf who had been responsible had tattooed a black foxglove, the Night World's symbol for werewolves, on the small of her back. Her clothes covered it up most of the time.   
  
"Yes. It's a tattoo. Now leave." She dragged herself up and shoved Sincerity out the door, slamming it in her sister's face. Meegan grit her teeth, resisting the urge to add an insult. She deliberately took her time in the shower, debating what to do about her sister.  
  
Just because she happened to be the older one of the two Sincerity seemed to think that automatically put her in charge. In the past, Meegan had always been more than happy to let her make the decisions. With the change and her new life and everything, that was yet another thing Meegan was determined to change.  
  
She stood in front of her wardrobe door in her underwear, scowling at her coordinated wardrobe. Shirts and skirts that matched together, tops in one section, blouses and jeans in another, other pants neatly hung, skirts in length size, all colour coordinated. If she wanted to, she could have dressed in the dark and still looked better than most.  
  
She stood on tiptoe, rummaging on the top shelf and pulled out a pair of purple leather pants she had been given for Christmas last year from a wayward relative. Sincerity's pair had been lime green. She had decided they were just not suited to the twin's image and they had stuffed the pants out the way never to be seen again.  
  
Meegan smirked, enjoying the coolness tightness of the leather against her shapely legs. She rummaged through her draws, finding a slinky black camisole top with silver studded straps. ^Perfect^ she thought.  
  
"Come *on* Meegan!" Sincerity's voice was calling from downstairs.  
  
"I'm still doing my hair," Meegan shouted back. "Go without me, I'll catch up."  
  
She sat at her dresser, eyeing herself in the mirror. Her strawberry blonde hair fell in natural waves to just below her waist. She reached for a pair of scissors and began hacking away at her own hair. Eventually ending up with something resembling a page-boy bob. Not perfect perhaps. ~Anything's fine as long as it doesn't look like Sincerity~ she thought.  
  
* * *  
  
So far everything seemed to be going okay. Nothing had gone wrong. Ginger found herself grateful. She didn't *mean* for things to go wrong and get out of control, having only really developed her witch powers a few years ago. She still had a long way to go to master her abilities. Ginger knew her lack of control over her powers was usually responsible for whatever went wrong when she was around and wound up with her usually needing to be rescued.   
  
Though right now Sam looked like the one who needed rescuing, he seemed ready to put his tail between his legs and run. He was more apprehensive of *Ginger* than of the assassin they were meant to be hunting. The constant explosion jokes were getting annoying.  
  
At least there meeting with the principle had gone well, they had managed to get similar schedules. "So who is she again?" she asked, as they waited for their math class to start.  
  
"Her name is Meegan Hawthorne," Sam answered. "That's all we know - we also think she knows who most of the local Daybreakers are so that's why we've been called in. Oh, that's her." Sam nodded at the girl coming down the hall.  
  
She was tall with a slender figure and long strawberry blonde hair, dressed in jeans and a pink top. There was an exam for the first half of the class, after that oral questions, which the Hawthorne girl answered practically everyone one. "Tell me you're kidding," she complained to Sam once class was over. "There's no *way* that know-it-all could be a killer for hire."  
  
Sam nodded. "I know what you mean, she doesn't seem like the type. But we have a job to do. As fun as blowing her up and be done with the task would be, that's not what we're here for."  
  
Ginger's cheeks flushed. "Oh, shut up."   
  
Just gathering information on a goody-two-shoes by day and a serial killer by right? Who knows what the girl could do in the mean time? Ginger needed to do something to *stop* that bitch.  
  
* * * 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
They were all staring at her like she was completely insane. Meegan was revelling in the attention. Gossip was probably spreading like wild fire. On a Wednesday morning she didn't see Sincerity until lunch. She couldn't wait to see the look on her sister's face.  
  
"Is there some sort of reason for this? Or are you a pod-person?" her boyfriend Brian asked. Brian was your typical All-American blond haired, blue eyed high school sports star. His features were exquisite, like the face on a Roman coin, Hollywood handsome and completely boring. The major downside being he was human, no longer what Meegan was interested in.  
  
"There's a reason, and I'm *not* a pod person," she answered, smirking.  
  
"You've had a brain transplant and gone utterly insane as a result?" Brian answered, staring in disbelief.  
  
Meegan sighed with irritation, glancing around for an escape. There wasn't anything really all that wrong with Brian, or than the fact, like Sincerity, he was just *too* perfect to be true. He had been good for her popular spoiled rich princess image. But in the Night World it was forbidden to love humans, so the sooner she got rid of him, the better. *Unless* she made him a Night Person. That might make him a little more interesting. "I just got - bored."  
  
"The join a club or get a hobby or something. Sane people don't do this type of radical thing cause they're *bored*," Brian said, shaking his head. "You look - freaky."  
  
Meegan smirked, baring her teeth. "That's the point."  
  
Brian sighed as they reached his geography class. "I gotta go. See you at lunch." He darted into the classroom as if he couldn't get away from her fast enough. Meegan shook her head.  
  
"If you're ready to play with the big kids we can always eat *him* for lunch."  
  
Meegan turned, finding herself facing Victoria Redfern, a startlingly darkly attractive girl known for her dangerous reputation. For years she had been the twins' biggest rival. Meegan couldn't help a smirk. "It's very tempting."  
  
"So, finally decided to join the real world?" Victoria's eyebrows rose meaningfully.   
  
"I wasn't exactly given a choice in the matter, but yeah," Meegan replied cooly.  
  
"Meegan!"  
  
Meegan's eyes rolled as she heard her name called, and turned to see two of her fellow cheerleaders, waving at her. "C'mon," Victoria took her arm and led her off down the hall. "Feel like taking the rest of the day off?"  
  
Four months ago the idea of cutting a class, let alone cutting a class with the likes of Victoria Redfern would have been like signing her own death warrant. "Oh what the hell - sure, let's get out of here."  
  
From what Meegan remembered of her Night World history Redferns were the most powerful family of the vampire lines. Vampires, she also knew, for some unknown reason had some weird prejudice against werewolves and shapeshifters. Despite leaving herself more open to different people she wasn't sure she would consider trusting Victoria, but for the moment would see where this was going.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the morning seemed to drag by endlessly. Ginger got bored very fast. She had hoped there would be more action in this infiltration thing. Meegan Hawthorne had been in most of her morning classes, unfortunately the girl had never glanced her way even once, nor had she noticed Sam.  
  
They knew nothing apart from the fact that the girl was annoyingly popular - and - and ordinary. Nothing that wasn't seen in a hundred high schools across the USA. Ginger was getting impatient, desperate for something to happen.  
  
And as she was rounding a corner later in the day, something *did* happen. She didn't see Meegan coming until she knocked into the girl. The back of the other girl's hand brushed against Ginger's - and Ginger's world changed forever.  
  
Shock filled her along with a blaze of heat and something she could only describe as *magical*. Ginger's mouth opened, but no words were coming out. The people around her were tinged with a faint pink haze, a light was dancing in front of her eyes. She blinked desperately trying to clear her vision.  
  
"Sincerity? Sincerity, are you okay?"  
  
The voice came through a roaring sound in Ginger's ear.  
  
"Huh?" Another voice was speaking, but not to Ginger. "Yeah, I think so." The hand touching Ginger's moved away and the sensations came to an abrupt halt, though still leaving pink dancing dots in front of her eyes as she moved away.  
  
The beautiful strawberry blonde in front of her was eyeing her curiously.  
  
"Sorry," Ginger grumbled. Then turned and ran, finding the nearest bathroom.   
  
She had known there was a possibility this might happen. Ginger heard of this type of thing all the time. People were sent off on Daybreak assignments and usually wound up finding their soulmate along the way, which usually happened to be the bad guy they had been sent after. Soulmates *always* cropped up somewhere.  
  
Ginger had had a feeling someone would find a soulmate during this assignment. She had hoped it would be Sam, and not her. And certainly not with the *female* villain.  
  
If Ginger had been planning (and she never had been) to fall for a girl, it certainly wouldn't be some teacher's pet by day, and serial killer by night.  
  
Only something else was starting to bug her - the other voice that had been speaking had called the girl *Sincerity*. Sam had said the assassin's girl name was Meegan. Was she missing something here?  
  
Ginger sighed, tugging at her long blonde hair. She was so confused.   
  
"Are you okay? You don't look very well."  
  
Ginger glanced over at the speaker. The voice was concerned. The girl was the strawberry-blonde's friend. Ginger had seen them together all morning. The one who had called the strawberry-blonde Sincerity.  
  
"Uh - fine," Ginger lied, flustered. "Just a little disorientated."  
  
"You must be new. I'm Kitty."  
  
"Ginger." She found herself stuck on what to say next. Small talk had never really been one of the things she prided herself on. "Um, yeah, started this morning."  
  
Then something occurred to her. The girl was playing nice. She was connected with the assassin girl, whatever her name was. Were they a double team or something? The nice best friend reeled in the victims?  
  
So maybe this was a way Ginger could spy on the girl and figured out what the hell was going on here. "Do you know where - I have chemistry next but no idea where it is."  
  
"Who with?" Kitty took out a compact and began powdering her nose.  
  
"Mr. Elkhart."   
  
Kitty glanced over at her, smiling. "Oh, me too. I'll take you."  
  
~Isn't that convenient,~ Ginger thought as she followed Kitty out the bathroom. She did, however, get a brief moment of satisfaction seeing Sam come out a near by classroom at the look of surprise on his face as he watched her walk off with Kitty *and* the target. She waved and smirked.  
  
"Friend of yours?" Kitty asked.  
  
Ginger shrugged. "Sort of." ~At least something's going my way.~  
  
* * * 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
This couldn't e happening. It was bad enough that somewhere along the line Circle Daybreak had misinformed Sam and Ginger that the Hawthorne girl had an identical twin sister, one being human, the other being the werewolf assassin, and the human being totally clueless to what her sister had become. Ginger had disappeared with the human sister, and to make things worse, Sam's initial meeting with the real Meegan Hawthorne hadn't gone all that well. He'd made the mistake of crossing paths with the girl shortly after his first class with Ginger.  
  
There had been that briefest moment of contact, that-tell tale feeling like being struck by lightning. Why? Just...why? Sam sighed, leaning against the wall of the high school building when the gruelling day was over. He didn't want to think much about the whole mind-link intimate details of the whole experience. He just didn't want to deal with it. How was he going to tell Ginger the target was his soulmate?  
  
~Stupid soulmate crap~ he thought moodily. Sam's eyes closed. As a Daybreaker, he was usually all for the soulmate thing. He liked to hear about how other soulmate couples got together and triumphed despite their differences. He'd heard this scenario a hundred times over. ~Why me?~ When it happened to him, however, it was a different story. Sam sighed, opening his eyes to find himself looking at a beautiful girl. She was small and delicate, features like a fairy queen, curly blonde hair and emerald eyes, and a lithe, willowy figure. Why couldn't he get a girl like *that* for a soulmate? No, of course not. The poor werewolf was stuck with a cold blooded killer.  
  
"Hey there, you're Sam Barlow, right?"  
  
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Who are you?"  
  
She flashed him a dazzling smile. "I'm Marissa Woods. I'm in charge of the local Daybreakers. We were told you guys were coming. There's another one with you, right?"  
  
Sam nodded. "A nice but not very bright witch, Ginger Kellohann."  
  
"It seems like she's made her way into our local popular clique without much trouble."  
  
Sam eyed Marissa, not sure how to interpret the way she said there. Was that an expression of contempt or disgust clouding the pretty features? "Ginger doesn't know we're dealing with twins here. I got mixed up and she thinks Sincerity is the assassin."  
  
Marissa snored. "That'd be amusing to see. But you - " Her head tilted to one side, brow furrowed. "You okay? You look a little - weird."  
  
"I've had a busy day," Sam said briskly. He didn't want to admit the real reason for his discomfort to himself, let alone to a stranger.  
  
"Okay. So, hadn't we better find your friend before she does something stupid?"  
  
* * * 


	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
Maybe it was a fluke. One of Shadow's witch friends could be playing some sort of prank on her. Then again, it could just as easily be one of Victoria's witch friends. Meegan didn't want a soulmate, didn't ask for one, didn't even know what the whole thing was really all about, only that it had happened to her - and she didn't even catch the guy's name before he had made some stupid excuse for knocking so carelessly into her and had run off.  
  
When she had heard about the soulmate connection, part of her had secretly been hoping against hope that it would turn out to be Brian, her human boyfriend. She knew though, that was never going to happen. She had touched his bare skin countless times since her change, even been sexually involved on a few occasions, but there had been nothing to indicate they were soulmates after all. Meegan had been told if she found her soulmate - she'd just know. And more often than not, the match was usually totally incompatible.  
  
Thankfully, Victoria had provided Meegan with a distraction, so she didn't have to think about the discovery, and had blown off the rest of her classes, hanging out with Victoria's friends in some dark, seedy club. As the afternoon had worn on, Meegan had gotten bored and left and found herself wandering around, continuing to shock people with her radical new look. Most people were used to seeing her with Sincerity, all fashionable and perfect. Though she *still* had yet to come face to face with her sister.  
  
Meegan wandered into the local coffee-shop where the high school kids hung out. She ordered herself a latte, but didn't drink it, just sat at a table, staring blankly, not really thinking anything at all.  
  
"You look weird."  
  
Meegan even found herself smiling as her own best friend Tara-Lee joined her. "I know, that's the point."  
  
"Not your outfit, the new look is actually kind of cool." Tara-Lee's head tilted to one side, pale brown hair spilling over her shoulder. "You've been spaced out for weeks now. And ditched with Victoria Redfern. What's up with that?" There was a definitely a hint of jealousy in Tara-Lee's tone.  
  
Meegan sighed, shaking her head. Shadow had told her how to identify other Night People. Something to do with different black flowers for black people, and her enhanced werewolf senses would pick up on the difference between anything human and not human. She hadn't been able to see anything remotely Night World-like in Tara-Lee.  
  
"I don't know what the matter with me is," she admitted. "The last few months have been, well..." She trailed off, shaking her head again.  
  
Meegan wanted to tell her best friend everything - the werewolf change, the assassin job, the anger at her stupid bimbo of a sister, everything. Even the confusion of the whole soulmate issue.  
  
Unfortunately, one of the first things she had learned about the Night World was rule one: Death for revealing Night World secrets to humans. For both parties. Shadow had filled her with some vile examples of Night World style executions. She didn't trust the vampire enough to go to her with these feelings.  
  
The vampire was the one who had shown her the ropes, helped her get the assassin job, but Meegan always felt there was another level below the surface of Shadow she just wasn't getting. Maybe it was just her own paranoia, maybe not. There was really no way to be sure.  
  
Meegan had thought it was mainly something to do with the fact that she was a high school junior, while Shadow and her friends were college freshmen, most of them, anyway.   
  
"Earth to Meegan! Earth to Meegan! Anyone home?" Tara-lee's hand was waving in front of her face.  
  
Meegan blinked, coming back to reality. She felt her thoughts weren't the best place to be lost in at the moment. She couldn't get anything together at the moment. "I'm starting to wonder that myself."  
  
Tara-Lee snorted. "Me too. *Talk* to me, then."  
  
"If I did, you'd be dead. And so would I." Meegan stood and left the coffee shop, starting to head home, unaware of the black-clad figure following her.  
  
* * * 


	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
"I still can't believe Shadow let a *werewolf* into the group." Fortuna Wynette shook her head angrily. "And got her that stupid assassin job."  
  
Annaliese Countessa glanced over at her friend, smirking a little at the girl's anger and jealousy over such a petty thing. She knew Fortuna had been gunning for the assassin job, working along side Shadow. Then some nameless human, bitten by a *puppy* had waltzed in and swept the job from under Fortuna's feet.   
  
Annaliese herself was a witch, and really not to fussed on killing people for a living. She thought the whole thing was, well, petty. She knew Fortuna had dragged her down here, simply to have someone to whine to. "Why are we doing this again?" On top of her petty jealousy, Fortuna had apparently also come up with some zany scheme to get her own back on the new werewolf girl.  
  
Fortuna shrugged. "The name of the game," she answered pushing her black and purple streaked bangs out her eyes, smiling, "is fox and founds. Once we get the pointless puppy out the way, there'll be a job opening."  
  
"Can't you just find someone else to work for?" Annaliese sighed, glancing at her newly manicured blood-red nails. "It's not like these kinds of jobs are rarities in our - community." Her eyebrows rose meaningfully. She had better things to be doing than be stuck in a coffee shop with a bunch of humans and a jealous shapeshifter/witch half-breed, a small step up from a werewolf with that touch of witch blood from her father's side. "Shadow said so?" Fortuna asked hopefully.  
  
Annaliese shook her head. "Not exactly, but you know what I mean."  
  
Sitting in the coffee shop, the two girls looked like normal teenagers, maybe a little more pretty than most with their added bonus of Night World beauty. No one would guess they were plotting the murder of a werewolf.  
  
"I think I need to add that bitch to the list too," Fortuna grumbled, scowling.   
  
"Shadow too?" Annaliese's eyes rolled. "You're crazy. Who have you sent after Meegan?"  
  
"At the moment Marlon Blackthorn is tailing her. So far I know the best is to go on the offensive," Fortuna said smugly, "and the way to do that which never fails is usually through the use of a hot guy."  
  
Annaliese snorted. "Please. That's like, so old and *done*. The girl has a twin sister. A *human* twin at that who doesn't know." Maybe that was another reason Fortunate hated Meegan so much, Meegan had a family who loved her, and Fortuna didn't have anyone. She didn't make the comment out loud.  
  
Fortuna's eyebrows arched, though her violet eyes had flared with anger. "Yeah, and?"  
  
Annaliese's eyes rolled again. "Read between the lines, dumbass."  
  
  
  
Fortuna stared at her blankly for a moment, sipping coffee from a green mug. "Oh." She smiled cruelly. "I'll think about it."  
  
* * * 


	7. Part 7

Part 7  
  
"I think she's gone insane. What other explanation can there be?" Kitty offered.  
  
Sincerity didn't know what to say. There had been mutterings all day about some bizarre new look Meegan was had. And on top of that there was this weird - thing - she had experienced with the new girl. Sincerity's head had been going in circles either clouded in confusion or in circles since it had happened.  
  
The girl herself wasn't the most interesting person in the world. Kitty had spent the afternoon showing Ginger around and introducing her to the important people. She refused to meet Sincerity's eyes.  
  
"So this new look is like, hooker wannabe," Kitty went on. "She's wearing these totally slutty leather pants and a top that looks like it should be underwear." She shook her head, tossing a mane of blonde curls over her shoulder. "She's been acting weird for ages. Like last night, Sincerity. You said it yourself."  
  
Sincerity nodded, staring into the cup of milky coffee she wasn't drinking. They had taken Ginger there after school, and the conversation had quickly turned to Meegan. "She could have *talked* to me before she did this," Sincerity sighed.  
  
"Apparently talking doesn't appear to be one of Meegan's things at the moment." Sincerity frowned as Tara-Lee, who dropped into the spare seat without waiting to be invited, joined them.  
  
"What'd you mean?" Sincerity asked.   
  
Tara-Lee shrugged. "We were in here earlier. She just *sat* there staring blankly." She wrapped a strand of raven hair around her finger. "I think Kitty might actually be right for once."  
  
Sincerity shook her head. This was just - it was too much. There was now an uncomfortable silence. No one knew what the hell was wrong with Meegan. She was more confused than ever. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind," she said apologetically to Ginger, deciding to actually speak to the girl herself. Ginger was just sitting there awkwardly with an expression that said being on Pluto would be more appealing than being stuck here.  
  
Ginger shrugged, smiling weakly. As her eyes met Sincerity's something seemed to almost - shimmer - in the air around them. Sort of like a faint silver cord wrapping the two strangers in its embrace. Did Ginger see it too? Her expression had changed now to one of utter surprise.  
  
"Can't expect to pick up on all the gossip on my first day," Ginger said, wiping the look of surprise off her face, trying to smile.  
  
Sincerity nodded, pushing her strawberry blonde hair behind her ears. "I guess not. This is all about my twin sister's apparent identity crisis."  
  
  
  
Ginger blinked, suddenly looking more interested. "Twin."  
  
"It's kind of a long story," Sincerity said.  
  
"Oh, here's something else. Did Meegan dump Brian?" Tara-Lee butted in.  
  
Sincerity shook her head. "I don't think so. Why?"  
  
Tara-Lee shrugged. "It's just that - when she left here there was this gorgeous guy following her. I assume she had a hot new boyfriend to go with her new look. Brian doesn't exactly fit with her anymore."  
  
"No, she'd have bragged about someone new," Sincerity said. "And Brian would have come to me to complain."  
  
"Wow, this whole thing is like something out of a soap opera," Ginger commented.   
  
Kitty chuckled. "You got that right. Perfect twins like Sincerity and Meegan equals a whole *world* of trouble."  
  
Ginger smiled. "We had nothing like this at home."  
  
"Oh shut up, will you?" Sincerity grumbled.   
  
Her personal life becoming a soap opera was not something she was looking forward to. Sometimes she loved the attention, sometimes not. This whole thing with Meegan's identity crisis was one of those things she would rather not have spread all over town.  
  
"Know who the guy following her was?" Kitty asked.  
  
Tara-Lee shook her head. "Didn't recognise him. He had that whole sexy tall dark and handsome thing working for him."  
  
Sincerity didn't know anyone who fit that description. She looked at Kitty who just shrugged. It just made Sincerity even more determined to figure out what was going on. A feeling of foreboding was growing in her stomach, telling her if she didn't get to the bottom of this soon, something terrible would happen to her sister.  
  
* * * 


	8. Part 8

Part 8  
  
Was he still following her? Meegan was careful not to actually look over her shoulder. Who would actually be stupid enough to do this? Meegan hadn't said a word to Tara-Lee, no matter how much she had wanted to., no one could have heard her blab Night World secrets.   
  
There were no vampire hunters left in this place. She and Shadow had made sure of that the other night. So who could it be? If she turned around - what would she see?  
  
Around her was the usual bustle of after school riffraff. Parents and young kids, groups of teens, couples hand in hand. Her werewolf senses were screaming at her that something out of the ordinary was hovering amongst them.  
  
Instead of going home, Meegan turned and headed for Shadow's place. She could always ask Victoria, but she wasn't sure she trusted Victoria. She'd check in with Shadow first. Hopefully by the time she came out, the threat would be gone.  
  
She banged her fist on the door. The shirtless guy who answered the door was attractive - in a grumpy, unkempt way. Long unwashed and unbrushed purple hair hung to his shoulders, covering half his face, leaving one curious amber eye showing. "Who the fuck are you?" he grumbled.  
  
"Meegan Hawthorne. Shadow's friend? I need to see her. Now." Meegan was used to always getting what she wanted. She hated having to wait. The grumpy purple haired boy brushed his bangs out his eyes and let her in, simply moving aside as Meegan pushed past him.  
  
"Shadow's not here right now."  
  
Meegan scowled. "Did she say when she'd be back?"  
  
"Don't know. I was sleepin'."  
  
Meegan snorted. "What a surprise," she said dryly. "Who are you, anyway?"  
  
"Wilson Redfern," he answered, eyeing her with something like disgust. "I guess that makes you the werewolf."   
  
She didn't like the way he said that. "And just what is *wrong* with being a werewolf?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.  
  
Wilson was starting at her as if she had just asked the most insane question in the world. It was taking every ounce of her self control not to punch the guy.. What could Shadow possibly see in this jerk?  
  
"I'm back," a familiar voice sang out. "You promised me sex, so I got us Chinese and French porn. I say we fuck first and eat later. Oh." Shadow stopped at the sight of Meegan. She put two plastic carrier bags on the coffee table. "Why are you here?"  
  
"I'm being followed. I need to know if you've heard anything?" Meegan couldn't care less about interrupting Shadow's sex life. It was her a actual life that was on the line.  
  
Shadow shook her head. Wilson had moved behind her and was kissing her neck, hands openly caressing her breasts and sliding under her shirt, completely oblivious to Meegan's presence. Meegan stared in anger and disbelief. Her blood was boiling with irritation.  
  
Her instincts were telling her to shift and eat their guts. Unfortunately she wanted answered and Shadow was probably the best shot she had.  
  
"Sorry, haven't heard anything about a hit on you," Shadow answered, not breathing to push her boyfriend of the way.  
  
Meegan blinked. "Someone hired a hit on *me*?"  
  
"Could be. Not exactly unheard of. This is a very competitive business."  
  
Sensing the tone and in no mood to watch anymore of the display in front of her Meegan left the apartment. She decided now would be a good time to go home and back to her normal life.  
  
Could there really be a hit out on her? She couldn't believe it. The hunter had become the hunted. ~Not if I have anything to do about it~ she thought angrily.  
  
* * * 


	9. Part 9

Part 9  
  
"What the hell were you *thinking*?" Sam demanded.  
  
Ginger just sighed, tapping her foot impatiently, not in the mood for the lecture. She had gone back to the motel to find Sam there, and some girl she'd never seen. He introduced the girl as Marissa Woods, leader of the local Daybreakers.  
  
Both were furious with Ginger for going off with Sincerity Hawthorne and her friends. Ginger's eyes rolled impatiently, arms folded. "An opportunity sort of presented itself and I ran with it," Ginger answered.  
  
They had since left the motel and moved into the Daybreak safehouse. Ginger hadn't been in the mood for meeting the rest of the Daybreak crew. Besides, Sam and Marissa were too busy lecturing her anyway.   
  
"If this girl had been the real assassin, then you would most likely be dead by now," Marissa pointed out.  
  
Ginger shrugged, almost wishing she *had* been off with the real assassin, then she wouldn't have found this stupid soulmate connection. The thing had been right *there* in the coffee shop. She had seen the silver cord. And knew that Sincerity had seen it too. Still, she found herself glaring angrily at Sam.  
  
Did he really think she was stupid? That she was a competent enough Daybreak agent? True, in the past she had had some unfortunate experiences with her lack of control over her powers, but everyone could improve if they were given a chance.   
  
"The task was simple information gathering," Sam said with a sigh. "Not undercover. Did you actually lean anything useful that we don't already know?"  
  
"Well the sister Sincerity is human and doesn't know anything about Meegan being a werewolf." Ginger frowned, watching them exchange glances. Something told her they already knew this.  
  
~I can sure as hell tell you something you don't know,~ Ginger thought. ~Though I'm not sure I want to admit it to myself yet.~ "Oh, and from what I've heard, it seems Meegan is being stalked.."  
  
"Could you be a little more specific on that last part?" Marissa asked, interest piquing.  
  
Ginger shrugged. "Her friend Tara-Lee pointed out when Meegan left the coffee shop some guy no one knew was following her. Seemed suspicious to me." Ginger shrugged.  
  
She just hoped no one asked her *how* she had wound up with an opportunity to hang out with Sincerity and the popular girls. Tall and thin, with long wavy, wild and untamed red hair Ginger wasn't the type the popular people usually noticed. Thanks to the soulmate thing, she had wound up with an opportunity she would never have managed otherwise. That didn't make the whole thing any easier to accept.  
  
Every thought Ginger had was coming back to that tell-tell electric shock of skin to skin contact. She had thought earlier the soulmate thing might happen. It was practically *expected* with this kind of assignment. Why* her*? Why couldn't it have happened to Sam?  
  
"Something else you want to tell me, Ginger?" Sam asked.  
  
Ginger shook her head. "No. Why?"  
  
Sam eyed her doubtfully. "I have some homework I need to do."  
  
This whole soulmate thing was bugging the hell out of here. No matter how much she told herself not to think about it - it was becoming circular in her mind. It swept her thoughts clear of everything else.  
  
"There's some lasagne left from dinner in the kitchen if you're hungry," Marissa said, taking Sam's arm and pulling him out the room.  
  
Ginger sighed, closing the door and sat on her bed. She should probably be doing something unpacking or the homework she had mentioned, but something was worming its way into her thoughts.   
  
What did Sincerity think of all this?  
  
She'd see Sincerity tomorrow at school. How did she react? Did she even approach the subject?  
  
Ginger had always dreamt that when she did meet her soulmate it would be the best thing that ever happened to her, the greatest fill of her life. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the twin sister of the assassin they were hunting down. A human who was totally clueless about the Night World.  
  
~What the hell am I going to do?~ she thought.  
  
* * * 


	10. Part 10

Part 10  
  
Meegan found Sincerity waiting in her room when she got home. Sincerity was sat on the unmade bed, staring at the pink carpet. ~I hate this carpet~ Meegan thought.  
  
The uncomfortable silence stretched on. Sincerity finally looked up at her. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"  
  
"That's just so typical of you. Something's wrong and it's automatically my fault."  
  
"This - " Sincerity gestured at the tight fitting leather pants and black top "is just you."  
  
"Exactly. *Just* me." Meegan scowled in anger, hovering by the door.  
  
"I don't get it." Sincerity sat there, just looking at her in such a way that reminded Meegan of a wounded puppy. That sickening wronged beautiful girl look - complete with single tear trickling down her cheek, smudging her mascara.   
  
"Oh drop the fucking act, there's no one here but us," Meegan snapped.   
  
"What's *wrong* with you? Why are you *doing* this?" Sincerity wailed, her lower lip trembling.  
  
Meegan had to force herself not to slap the snivelling bitch. "Because I'm tired of just being a carbon copy of *you*. I want to be my own person."  
  
Sincerity sniffed, pulling a tissue from the box on the nightstand and dabbing at her eyes. "Why couldn't you just talk to me about this? Did you not think that I would understand?"  
  
Meegan sighed, her anger draining as she sat besides her sister. She felt the same angst she had in the coffee shop, a feeling of isolation bound by these stupid Night World laws. She couldn't talk to her own twin about any of it, no matter how much she wanted to.  
  
Then again, she thought wryly, knowing Sincerity, her sister would worm her way up the Night World hierarchy. No. Meegan wanted the Night World to be just for her.  
  
"That - that may be part of it," she admitted, deciding she'd better say *something* to get Sincerity off her back. If Sincerity believed it was just an identity crisis, she'd let it go.  
  
"Are you seeing someone else?" Sincerity asked suddenly.  
  
Meegan frowned, shaking her head. A tingling was starting to spread through her skin, a flash back to that unwanted soulmate thing was trying to force itself back into her memory. With the unknown stalker and figuring out what was going on there she had managed to forget about - him. Who was he, anyway? Did Sincerity know? *How* did Sincerity know.  
  
"No," she said, through the lump forming in her throat. "Why?"  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "Just that Tara-Lee saw someone following you after you left the coffee house earlier. We thought you had a freaky new boyfriend to go with the freaky new look."  
  
Meegan shook her head. "No, no one new. I know the whole look is kind of radical, but I needed to change. If I didn't do something drastic, what would be the point?"  
  
Sincerity sniffled again. "So it's not because you hate me?"  
  
Meegan shook her head. "No, nothing like that." A deeper part of her pointed out that was the other main reason but Meegan was smart enough not to admit that out loud.  
  
"Okay." Sincerity hugged her briefly then left her alone.  
  
Meegan exhaled deeply.  
  
* * * 


	11. Part 11

Part 11  
  
She was lying, Sincerity was certain of it. There was more to this story than met the eye. Maybe there was some small truth in the whole need for change, some individuality on Meegan's part.  
  
On top of that, she had her own problems to deal with. Seeing shimmery cords hanging around her and strange girls in coffee shops, for one thing. What was all *that* about? She didn't even particularly like Ginger.  
  
And who could she talk to? She knew a few girls who were into all that one perfect person for everyone stuff. She'd heard them talk about it. She was sure she'd heard the term silver cord mentioned there before.  
  
Sincerity was getting tired of the same questions going around and around in her head. She had to talk to *someone*. Kitty was her best friend, but Kitty did have a tendency to gossip. She didn't feel she could trust Kitty to keep her mouth shut with something this important.  
  
If it had been a silver cord linking her to a boy, even one she didn't like, she wouldn't have been so concerned, she would have been happy to talk to Kitty, who would probably tell her to go for it and see what happened. Sincerity didn't have a boyfriend at the moment, she wasn't seeing anyone exclusively.   
  
It was the whole girl thing that was throwing her completely off balance. It was the last thing in the world Sincerity had ever expected to happen to her. Her social status would be completely ruined if this got out!  
  
She needed someone who could keep a secret. Before she would have talked to Meegan. If Meegan didn't want to talk about her problems, why should Sincerity share hers?  
  
She rummaged through a draw in her desk and pulled out an address book. Flipping through she settled on Marissa Woods. Marissa was a gentle, understanding girl. Sincerity was sure she'd seen and heard her talking with the silver cord group.  
  
Drawing a breath, she dialled the number.  
  
* * * 


	12. Part 12

Part 12  
  
Marissa didn't exactly know what to think when Sincerity Hawthorne called the safehouse.  
  
"Sincerity?" her friend witch Dayna Harman asked, an incredulous eyebrow raised.  
  
They sat in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. The new recruits had hidden in their rooms, both seeming to have different things on their minds. Neither seemed to want to talk. Marissa nodded. "Sincerity wanted to meet me. She sounded totally flustered."  
  
"Probably broke a nails and can't find a decent manicurist."  
  
Marissa smiled dryly as she grabbed her denim jacket. "I don't think even Marissa is that shallow. Clueless, maybe, but in not that depth."  
  
Dayna smiled. "What'd she want?"  
  
"I don't know. She said she needed to talk to someone."  
  
Dayna's smile faded. "Do you think she knows?"  
  
Marissa shrugged. "I doubt it. Even with Meegan's new look. Meegan's not stupid. She wouldn't blab Night World secrets."  
  
"So what could Sincerity possibly want to talk about?" Dayna asked.  
  
"That's what I'm going to find out," Marissa answered. She left the safehouse. She had agreed to meet Sincerity at her place, and had to admit, she was curious. The girl was so naive Marissa wondered how she ever managed to maintain her popularity or even get through a day without being gunned down.  
  
She rang Sincerity's doorbell. A maid in a crisp white uniform answered. A maid in a crisp black uniform answered. "Miss Sincerity is in her room"  
  
"Where *is* that?" Marissa had never been to Sincerity's house before. She stood in the entrance hall looking up at the marble staircase, that curved up one flight to small landing. On the wall was an enormous family portrait of the two beautiful parents and their gorgeous twin daughters. Marissa winced, shaking her head. The staircase split then in two, one leading to the right, the other to the left.  
  
"Take the right staircase, Miss Sincerity's room is the first set of double doors."  
  
Marissa's eyebrows rose, then walked up the first flight of red carpeted staircase. She paused for a minute, looking at the family portrait, feeling her chest tighten and tears forming in the back of her eyes, before quickly pulling herself together and moving on.  
  
Marissa knocked on Sincerity's door. Sincerity let her in. "Thanks for coming."  
  
Marissa smiled, hoping it wasn't too false. More to the point, hoping Sincerity wouldn't see that she didn't really want to be there. "No problem."  
  
"I really need to talk to someone," Sincerity said, closing the door as Marissa came in. She found herself a seat on a black leather settee. Not the type of thing she would have expected from Sincerity, but whatever.  
  
"What'd you want to talk about?"  
  
So Sincerity stared to talk. Marissa listened, remaining silent throughout Sincerity's story, too surprised to say anything. Sincerity had found her *soulmate*? In Ginger Kellohann? It was the last thing Marissa had ever expected.  
  
"And you came to me for help?" Marissa asked.  
  
Sincerity shrugged, completely confused. "My sister's gone insane and I can't talk to her, and I don't know what else to do."  
  
"Okay..." Marissa sighed. There *was* an explanation. She could tell Sincerity the truth without explaining Meegan's Night World connections, along with the basic history of Circle Daybreak.  
  
Sincerity just sat in the armchair that matched the couch. She nodded carefully after Marissa explained. "Okay. See, there's an explanation for the whole soulmate thing. Now what? Do I bring it up? Do I want for her to come to me or what?"  
  
Marissa shrugged. "That part is really up to you."  
  
Sincerity sighed. "I was afraid of that."  
  
Marissa smiled, wishing for she could be more of a help. Question for her, was how did *she* act around Ginger now she knew? Did she push them together? She was a shameless fan of the soulmate principle. She firmly believed all soulmates should be together, no matter who the pairing.  
  
"Is there any way to get rid of a soulmate connection?" Sincerity's voice was soft.  
  
Marissa frowned. "Give it a shot, it might not be so bad."  
  
"That's easy for you to say!" Sincerity snapped. "I'm not - I have a reputation! I can't be - " She cut herself off and turned her back on Marissa. "Thanks. You can leave now."  
  
Marissa sighed, shaking her head as she stood up and left the mansion. ^You think this soulmate thing is the biggest problem?^ she headed home. ^Boy are you in for a surprise^.  
  
* * * 


	13. Part 13

Part 13  
  
"What'd you mean, you didn't make contact?" Fortuna was furious.  
  
Marlon lit a cigarette, shrugging. He didn't like the club Fortuna had chosen for them to meet in. He hated Black Iris clubs. They were the same no matter what city you were in. They were everywhere, and every one looked the same. Dark corners, flashing strobe lighted dance floor on club night, coffee tables, weird abstract paintings for poetry slams. Marlon just hated the whole chain.  
  
But since Fortuna was paying him for his services, he might as well comply with what she wanted. "What did you expect? Kill the girl on first sight?" Marlon sneered. "That's careless, and stupid."  
  
Fortuna gritted her teeth in frustration. "I guess so," she grumbled. "Just make her - oh, wait."  
  
Marlon's eyes rolled. As an assassin he took pretty much any job he could get. Though these types of cases - the whole werewolf prejudice thing annoyed the hell out of him.  
  
Werewolves weren't so bad. He couldn't understand what it was Night People had against them. "What?" he asked.   
  
This girl was a shapeshifter. She should be more open to Meegan Hawthorne.  
  
"I want you to seduce her sister, Sincerity," Fortuna answered. She was smirking. "Seduce her and have her changed to a werewolf."  
  
Marlon frowned. This girl was utterly insane. He didn't understand the reasons behind this sudden change of plan. "I'm an assassin. And a vampire at that. Having people changed into werewolves isn't part of my job description."  
  
"Make an exception," Fortuna snapped. "You'll get paid extra."  
  
Marlon sighed. He wanted to walk away, get out of this crazy situation before it got totally out of hand. Changing humans was hard enough - plus there were laws against that sort of thing. Humans weren't supposed to know about the Night World. Just because werewolves didn't seem to have a head family like the vampires had the Redferns, the witches had the Harmans, they were the scapegoat to become Night People?  
  
Shapeshifters had the Draches in charge of them, but as far as Marlon was aware, there was some debate as to whether werewolves were shapeshifters or a separate species. Thanks to that blurred line, there seemed to be no specific law against changing humans into werewolves.  
  
"I thought the whole reason you hated Meegan Hawthorne was the werewolf thing," Marlon pointed out.  
  
Fortuna nodded. "Yeah, but the plan's changed." She was grinning manically. "If you won't do this, then I can always find someone else."  
  
Marlon should be walking away. He hadn't had a lot of work recently, and needed the money. So as nuts as this whole plan was, he might as well go for it. "I'll do it," he paused, "what do you want to do about Meegan Hawthorne."  
  
Fortuna waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Once her sister becomes a Night Person, they'll destroy each other." She smiled, this time almost serenely.  
  



	14. Part 14

Part 14  
  
What was she hiding? Ginger was supposed to be bright and cheerful, yet to Sam, the following morning, she seemed to be walking around with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She was unusually quiet and sat there staring blankly. Marissa too, looked like she had something on her mind. She was acting snappy and snobby, looking down at everyone and yelling at them every time they did the slightest thing wrong. Then again, Sam himself wasn't doing any better.  
  
He was dreading crossing paths with Meegan Hawthorne. He hadn't uttered a word to anyone about their soulmate connection, and was not looking forward to approaching the subject. He didn't particularly want the thing to work out. Who wanted a serial killer for a soulmate?  
  
"God, what is wrong with everyone this morning?" Trent Abforth, a rare male witch asked, shaking his head of curly dark hair as he munched on Pop Tarts just popped from the toaster. "You guys look like the world's gonna end before lunch."  
  
"Shut up," Marissa snapped, taking her car keys out of a cupboard. "I'm going. Anyone want a ride?"  
  
"You're not going to try to kill those of us who accept are you?" Dayna Harman, the group's other witch, chimed in.  
  
"Believe me, it's tempting," Marissa answered, picking up her books off the kitchen table and walking off, head held high. Ginger hesitated a moment, then hurried after her.  
  
Sam sighed, and followed. There was no way he could avoid high school. He was there for a purpose, and couldn't skip out. After all, only yesterday he had been giving Ginger lectures on responsibility the other night. He'd reminded her there were not there for undercover but information. They just weren't gathering the right kind of information to take to Circle Daybreak.  
  
He decided to walk, hoping it would clear his head to focus on the day ahead. Marissa had shown him the route the other day. Unfortunately, all he got was a feeling of foreboding in the pit of his stomach.  
  
She was hoping she'd somehow feel different, waking up in the morning. Meegan was annoyed to find she felt as annoyed and pissed off as she had the previous day. Plus side was this morning Sincerity wasn't hammering on her door, or yanking back the covers, so she guessed that was one good thing.  
  
She dragged herself up and took a shower. Now came the problem of finding something to wear to keep up with her new image. She didn't have any more leather clothing hidden away. She pulled a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans out the wardrobe and the scissors from her vanity table, and cut the jeans off, just above the knee, making them into shorts and slipped them on. Pulling open a draw she rummaged through a pile of t-shirts until she found a black top with a scoop neck that curved into a v-shape at the bottom, the top was backless, but tied on with three black silk strings. On the front was a picture of a multi- florescent coloured phoenix. Not as dark as yesterday, but not bad, she thought, adding a touch of hot pink eyeshadow and kohl around her eyes. With some dark plumb lipstick, the look was complete. She'd have to go shopping for a new wardrobe sometime soon.  
  
The whispering and gawking began as it had the other day, but today, it just didn't have the same thrill as it had yesterday. Most of the people who usually crowded round her the minute Meegan arrived were avoiding her. She saw Brian with two cheerleaders, all three quickly turned away when they saw her coming.  
  
Meegan watched them. This was what you wanted, right? she told herself. But was it? The novelty was fast wearing off. Did being different and her own person meant being ignored.  
  
"Might as well get used to this." Victoria fell into step with her.  
  
Meegan scowled. "Since when was being different bad?"  
  
Victoria's laugh was throaty and disturbing. "Since always. As I said, get used to it." Victoria walked off.  
  
Meegan stared after try, trying to figure out what that girl's deal was. Was Victoria a friend or what? Yesterday that had seemed like a possibility. Today...she just wasn't sure. Meegan's head was swimming. She just didn't want to deal with first period American History. She turned and hurried back outside, pushing people out her way.  
  
"Oh, shit!" As she knocked into one person, a painful jolt ran through her body, making her shudder in a bizarre mixture of pleasure and pain. She didn't even look to see who it was, just grabbed the person and kissed them.  
  
She felt his hands clutching at her, roaming hungrily all over her body as his tongue explored her mouth. Light was blazing around her and him, fusing their minds together in a harmonious glow of warmth and absolute, uncontrollable desire.  
  
Let's get out of herehis voice spoke in her mind. Meegan nodded in agreement.  
  
Two hours later she and Sam lay in each other's arms in his room in the Daybreak safehouse. "This was not what I had in mind," she grumbled.   
  
"The third or fourth time?" Sam asked, eyeing her, smiling.  
  
"That's not what I meant!" Meegan snapped, shoving him away from her.  
  
"What's the problem? We're both werewolves, why - "  
  
"We're on different sides," Meegan snapped. "I - I have a job to do, and you're not getting in the way." She got out the bed and dressed hurriedly. She left without saying a word to Sam. She debated on going to Shadow's place rather than back to high school, but really didn't want to run into that asshole of a boyfriend of hers.  
  
After walking in what seemed to her like an aimless direction she found herself back at school. Maybe it would provide the distraction she was looking for.  
  
Sam didn't know what to think. When Meegan had knocked into him again and sparked off the whole soulmate connection, he had automatically expected her to freak and run,  
  
Today, things had gone - well - certainly nothing like he had been thinking. He hadn't been prepared to give into the passion the soulmate spark enticed, nor had he been expected to go to bed with Meegan.  
  
He was only after a few hours of heated passion that she'd started freaking out, Sam knew better than to try and stop her. This didn't exactly improve his situation. Now she knew he was - and would probably guess what he was doing in town.   
  
Sighing, Sam got out of bed and dressed. One minute Meegan was all over him, and the next...  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Half way down the stairs Sam could see Marissa coming in the front door. He shrugged. "I ran into my soulmate. We got busy, then she freaked."  
  
Marissa closed the front door. "Who's the soulmate."  
  
"Meegan Hawthorne."  
  
Marissa's eyebrows arched. "You're kidding."  
  
"I wish I was. Now I'm in an impossible situation and she's in complete denial," Sam told her. He felt a little better for actually admitting the truth to someone. Didn't change things, though.   
  
"That's - " Marissa trailed off.  
  
"Exactly."  
  



	15. Part 15

Part 15  
  
Sincerity felt more nervous than she could remember being in a long time. She was used to appearing in public, used to having eyes on her. This morning was different. She didn't like having her head bitten off by her sister.  
  
She normally loved mornings. She was usually up early, spending an hour in her family's private gym, followed by a two mile run. Today, however, it took all her energy just to get out of bed. She didn't do any exercise of any kind, just washed and dressed for school.  
  
And to make matters worse, her car wouldn't start. Sincerity's frustration grew. She called Kitty, but Kitty had already left. So had most of Sincerity's other friends with cars. What was happening to her this morning? Was it, like, Bad Luck week for her?  
  
It looked like she would have to walk. Sincerity groaned, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. How come none of her friends were available? She debated heading back inside to see if Meegan had already left, but changed her mind. It would be too tempting to give up with this horrible day and stay in bed rather than face classes and Ginger.  
  
But she hated to miss school. She never cut a class. She was expected to show up. With a sigh, Sincerity started walking. However, she had been walking for about ten minutes when she noticed a car pacing her. At first she thought the sleek Mercedes convertible was just stuck in traffic. Odd, since the only traffic was a yellow school bus going past.  
  
The top of the convertible was sliding down as Sincerity slowed. The driver was a very attractive guy, with marble pale skin and endlessly deep black eyes. He had shoulder length blond hair and was dressed in a black silk shirt and black leather pants.  
  
Sincerity remembered Tara-Lee mentioning a hot guy fitting the tall dark and handsome description had been following Meegan as she left the coffee shop. "Is there a reason you're following me?" she asked.  
  
The boy smiled, revealing movie-star perfect white teeth. "Want a ride?"  
  
Normally, Sincerity would never have even thought about taking a ride from a disturbingly beautiful stranger. Who knew what he might do to her? Meegan wasn't the only one who could do insane things. "Sure, why not?"  
  
He pulled over and opened the passenger door for her. Sincerity slid into the comfy leather seat.  
  
"I have to admit, I've kinda had my eye on you for some time," he said as he closed the door and started driving.  
  
"Really," Sincerity said, eyeing him curiously. "So you were the guy stalking my sister the other day?"  
  
He blinked, glancing over at her. "Sister? Crap. I was stalking the wrong girl."  
  
Sincerity snorted. "Gee, stalking? How flattered am I?"  
  
"You should be very flattered. I only stalk the most beautiful girl."  
  
She couldn't help a small giggle. She had to admit, she liked his weird sense of humour. "So who are you?"  
  
"Name's Marlon Blackthorn," he told her, glancing at her.  
  
Sincerity stared ahead. "Is that supposed to mean something to me."  
  
"It doesn't?"  
  
She shook her head. She'd never heard the name before. "Nope."  
  
He stopped the car outside the high school. Marlon stared at her. "How 'bout I pick you up afterwards?"  
  
Sincerity smiled. "Sure, why not?"  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
Sincerity had barely left the car when she was accosted by Tara-Lee, pulling her to one side. "That's him, that's the guy who was tailing Meegan!"  
  
Sincerity smirked. "I know, he seems kind of cool."  
  
Tara-Lee stared at her. "You know what? I think insanity runs in your family!"  
  
Sincerity watched her walk away. She glanced around but couldn't see Meegan anywhere. I'll show her she thought.  
  



	16. Part 16

Part 16  
  
Ginger was tired of all her soulmate worries crap. With any luck, she and Sam wouldn't be here that long anyway. Sincerity, however, was smiling brightly when Ginger walked into her first class that morning. She saw no sign of Sam. He was supposed to be in the same class as her.  
  
Kitty waved as she walked into the classroom and Ginger took the seat between her and Sincerity. Before they could talk the lesson started. Once or twice, she caught Sincerity glance fleetingly in her direction.  
  
The sooner we talk we'll feel better Ginger thought.  
  
The lesson, of course, dragged on painfully slow. After lying awake for most of the night, going over and over the situation, Ginger had decided to stop dancing around on the edge and confront Sincerity.   
  
If they talked, then they might be able to move on. Finally, class ended. Ginger moved quickly, catching Sincerity's arm before she could go. She forced herself not to react to a wave of nausea that swam through her as she felt an electric jolt running through her as her bare skin touched Sincerity's. Sincerity met her gaze. She drew a deep breath and the skin to skin contact but she didn't run, nor did she look away. Ginger was impressed.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
Sincerity nodded. "Yeah, we do."  
  
Ginger let go of Sincerity's arm. "Preferably now."  
  
Once again Sincerity nodded with surprising calmness. "We'll skip our next class. C'mon."  
  
Ginger almost protested. What if Sam came looking for her? "Oh what the hell. Sure." She grabbed her book bag and followed Sincerity. Sincerity was leading her right out the school. Ginger frowned. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Back to my place. We can talk there without being bothered," Sincerity answered.  
  
"Won't people want to know where you are?" Ginger asked.  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "I'll make something up."  
  
They walked in silence to her house. Sincerity let them in, and Ginger followed her up two flights of elegant curving marble stairs to her room. Ginger felt small and out of place in the large rich girl's bedroom. She was used to the luxury of the Daybreak mansion in Vegas were she usually lived, but something about this place seemed kind of - cold. Maybe it was the pure white décor and black furniture. Not the type of thing she'd have thought would be Sincerity's taste. Ginger dropped her book bag on the floor by her feet. Sincerity closed the bedroom door.  
  
There was something just not right about this scene. Sincerity was acting very calmly, almost too calmly, and very precisely. She reminded Ginger of a snake hiding in the grass just before it bites and poisons you.  
  
Sincerity walked over to the bed and patted the space next to her. Ginger's mouth was dry as sandpaper, walking to the bed seemed to be taking centuries. What was Sincerity playing at? She sat down and waited. Sincerity turned to her - and the next thing Ginger knew Sincerity had pressed her lips on hers.   
  
Completely taken by surprise, Ginger pulled away before the soulmate spark could take full effect.  
  
"What?" Sincerity looked perplexed. "I thought you wanted to talk."  
  
"Talk, not make out!" Ginger snapped.  
  
Sincerity snorted. "I would hardly call that making out. What's the problem? We're soulmates, right?"  
  
Ginger shrugged. "I guess. But I've - I've never done this with a girl before."  
  
"So? Neither have I."  
  
Ginger was amazed. She had been expecting to have to explain the whole soulmate thing and Night World, and then talk Sincerity into why it was good that they try to be together. She'd been thinking she'd have to have another round of arguments on whether or not they were going to do anything about their soulmate connection.  
  
"How do you know what soulmates are?"  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "I spoke to Marissa last night. She explained everything to do."  
  
"Oh." Ginger felt a little better. At least Marissa had saved her the bother. Did Marissa tell Sincerity what her sister had been up to? Ginger decided to leave that subject unless Sincerity brought it up.  
  
"So what type of Night Person are you?" Sincerity asked.   
  
"A witch. I only found out two years ago," Ginger answered.  
  
"So if I wanted to become a Night Person how does that work?" Sincerity had moved closer, and her fingers were running up and down Ginger's arm.  
  
The touch of skin on skin was no longer as shocking as it had been, since they had both come to terms with the connection, now the touch sent a tantalising thrill of anticipation through Ginger. "You could be made into a vampire, or bitten by a shapeshifter, I guess," she answered, "but there are serious laws about that type of thing. You can't become a Night Person just because you want to be one."  
  
Sincerity nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So if, say, something happened to me, like, I was attacked and dying - "  
  
"Then most definitely, Circle Daybreak would save you." Ginger cut the thought off, not wanting to even think about things like that, after establishing there was a chance of a real relationship between her and Sincerity.  
  
Sincerity smiled. "Okay. So...let's pick up where we left off."  
  
This time when she moved in for the kiss, Ginger didn't pull away.  
  



	17. Part 17

Part 17  
  
The human sister was a much easier target then the werewolf assassin. Easier to approach Marlon had managed to make the first contact with her right off. Sincerity was intrigued by him. The next part of the plan was the harder part. The whole turning the girl into a werewolf thing.  
  
He had several hours to come up with a solution before he picked her up after school. He needed to find a werewolf willing to make the change. There were no other werewolf in the small town apart from Meegan Hawthorne, and he seriously doubted she would be willing to change her sister.  
  
Marlon didn't want to ask any of the other Night People in the place, he doubted they would know or would even care what Fortuna was up to. But the question that bugged him was who had bitten Meegan in the first place?  
  
He had driven out of the small town and was headed for the outskirts of the nearest city. There were rumours of a werewolf pack. Most likely one had them had got bored and wandered into the next town. Or Meegan had been caught in the city.  
  
If I was a werewolf where would I be? he thought, manoeuvring his way through city centre traffic. He didn't really want to get into a shapeshifter's way of thinking, but as crazy as her plan was, he had promised Fortuna he would do what she had asked him to.  
  
Though as he parked and started to wander around the city centre, he was really starting to wonder why. He'd barely gotten to the end of the street when he heard the soft, measured sound of footsteps.  
  
"Should have known better than to follow a leech," a sultry female voice said, approaching him."  
  
Marlon's eyes rolled, but a smile curved his thin lips as he looked at the girl. She was tall, at least six feet, dressed very elegantly in brown leather pants, and a sleeveless sky blue cashmere scoop necked sweater. A string of pearls graced her swan-like throat. Long blonde hair fell in gentle waves to her shoulders. Aqua coloured eyes regarded him, pouty full red lips were frowning at him.   
  
"And you would be?" Marlon could match her mood. If she wanted to be a cold-hearted bitch, then so could he.  
  
She scowled at him. Marlon felt a sense of power ripple through him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, almost like a kiss of a cold wind. He eyed the girl, whose lips had now taken on a smile. Looking around he was pleased no one else had noticed the power display.  
  
"So you know a little power trick in the middle of the day," Marlon said, unimpressed, though he guessed the girl was probably pretty high in her pack authority. "And the point is...?"  
  
"The point," the girl snarled, "if you're out your territory here, leech. This is pack grounds."  
  
"Says who?" Marlon smirked. "There's now law against claiming one city for one. Ever heard of gang warfare?"  
  
"There are no others here." The girl smiled.  
  
Marlon stared at her, not bothering to hide his contempt or disbelief. An entire city with no Night People but werewolves just did not seem possible. "Who are you, anyway?"  
  
"Mona Carmichael," she answered. "Is there a reason you came here?"  
  
An idea sprang into Marlon's mind. He'd promised he'd get Sincerity Hawthorne turned into a werewolf, and he'd just pissed off a high ranking one.  
  
"I was bored with Blue Bird. You know the place - about an hour's drive away?"  
  
Mona nodded. "Yes, I've been a few times. Nothing to write home about." She eyed him.  
  
"Clearly, we've got off on the wrong foot. How about I make things up to you and your pack?"  
  
Mona smiled. "And the pack? What'd you have in mind?"  
  
"Have you seen Sincerity anywhere?" Meegan frowned, not happy to be approached by Kitty as she left her latest class. People were still avoiding her. Apart from Victoria who was just now annoying. "No, actually."  
  
She hadn't seen Sincerity all day. Which was weird enough. She had never known her sister to cut a single class. Sincerity hated taking days off, even when she was sick.  
  
Kitty frowned. "Weird. Because no one else has either."  
  
Kitty walked away. Meegan didn't know what to do next. She had enough problems of her own.  
  
"Your sister's smart, she'll come without someone to hold her hand."  
  
"Don't do that!" Meegan snapped as Victoria appeared behind her, no doubt looking into her mind.   
  
Victoria just smirked. "Whatever. I thought you were sick of being in your sister's shadow."  
  
"Yeah. I don't care," Meegan said dismissively.  
  
Still, she felt a disturbing twinge in her stomach.   
  
"There's a bunch of us getting together tonight. We're hanging out then hunting. You game?" Victoria didn't seem to take the hint that Meegan wanted to be left alone. Since she was trying to keep up with the new image, she might as well humour Victoria.  
  
"Yeah, sure whatever."  
  
"Call you later." Victoria walked back without looking at her again.  
  
Meegan wondered how she did it. Victoria didn't care what anyone thought of her. She just brushed off the comments and raised eyebrows.  
  
"Your sister's taken up the crazy bug that's infecting your family," was the first thing Tara-Lee said when Meegan sat next to her in last period chemistry.   
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Yesterday when you left some creepy looking guy was following you. This morning he gave Sincerity a lift. Like you, Sincerity cut her classes this morning."  
  
Meegan remembered feeling someone following her. She had gone to Shadow, who had made the suggestion someone might have a hit out on her. But if that was true, then why would he go after Sincerity? Unless, Meegan thought with a sinking feeling, the hit was never on me at all. What if someone knows about my vermin family?  
  
"And your point?"  
  
Tara-Lee eyed her. "Aren't you a little bit concerned?"  
  
Meegan tried to tell herself she wasn't. But that nagging doubt that had been with her since she'd run into Kitty earlier hadn't gone away. She'd vowed to keep the Night World for herself. If Sincerity got involved with an assassin, she'd be dead before she knew what had hit her. Or even worse, what if Sincerity became a Night Person.  
  
"When did she show up?" Meegan whispered, trying to pretend she was paying attention as the teacher talked. Chemistry was one of her favourite subjects. One of the lessons she usually always paid attention and excelled in. Today she was too distracted to even work out what the lesson was about.  
  
She could see Sincerity in her usual seat a few rows ahead. Beside her sat the new girl whose name Meegan didn't know.   
  
"After lunch. Marie told me her excuse was a severe stomach cramp. It cleared up so she came in for the afternoon. Neither of you bothered showing up for your morning classes. Where were you?"  
  
"She sure as hell wasn't with me. I was with the new boy."  
  
"You mean - "   
  
"Twice," Meegan answered with a smirk. Though thinking of Sam didn't make her feel any better. He was a Daybreaker, she was a Night World assassin. Nothing could ever happen between the two of them.  
  
"You amaze me," Tara-Lee muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "I guess you and Brian are through."  
  
Meegan nodded. "Yeah. What a loser."  
  
She stared at the desk. She had to figure out what that bitch of a sister of hers was up to. When class ended Sincerity put her books away, said something to the new girl, and walked off. Meegan hurried after her sister, calling her, but her sister didn't turn. Sincerity wasn't even stopping to talk to the friends who were also calling her.   
  
Outside the school a sleek soft topped Mercedes with a gorgeous driver, dressed entirely in black complete with long black hair. He smiled and opened the passenger door. Sincerity got in the shiny red car. Several girls near by were watching and talking amongst themselves, envy clear in their expressions.  
  
"Kitty?" Meegan caught the blonde girl amongst one of the other groups watching. Kitty stiffened as Meegan approached her. "Did Sincerity tell you who that guy is?"  
  
Kitty nodded. "Said his name's Marlon Blackthorn."  
  
"Blackthorn?" Meegan's teeth gritted in annoyance. If she remembered correctly, Blackthorn were a lamia clan. Shit, she thought. What are you up to, Sincerity?  
  
Let her be okay, please let her be okay. Ginger paced around the living room of the safehouse. Upstairs Dayna and Trent were working their healing magic on Sincerity. Her new friend Marlon had brought her Sincerity to the safehouse about an hour or so ago, battered and bleeding. They'd been attacked by werewolves. He was alright, but feared Sincerity might have been bitten.  
  
"I'm sure she'll be okay. Dayna and Trent are really good healers," Marissa said, taking Ginger's hand and pulling her to sit on the couch in the safehouse between her and Sam. Sam's arm wrapped comfortingly around Ginger's shoulders, holding her close.  
  
Everyone now new about she and Sincerity were soulmates. Ginger didn't care, Sincerity loved her and that was all that mattered. Marlon was standing in the doorway, staring silently at the carpet.  
  
Ginger just shrugged, tears stinging in her eyes as they fell down her cheeks. She couldn't loose her soulmate, not after just finding her.  
  
"How is she?" Marissa stood up as she saw Trent coming down the stairs.  
  
Ginger looked up, wiping her eyes.  
  
Trent nodded. "She'll be fine." The front door opened and a tall brunette in a long green silk dress, carrying a white canvas bag walked in and up the stairs. "Star is going to do a signing to finish off."  
  
Ginger breathed a huge sigh as relief crashed through her exhausted body. She'd heard of singing as a form of witch magic before, but had never really been sure what it involved. She was sure Trent knew what he was doing.  
  
"But," Trent added, and Ginger felt her heart tighten. Of course there was a but. There was always a but in situations like this.   
  
"When Sincerity wakes up, she will be a werewolf."  
  
"You had us thinking it would be something terrible," Marissa snorted.  
  
"Her sister's gonna have a hissy fit when she finds out about this," Sam muttered.  
  
Ginger smiled weakly. The order had come through that they were to bring Meegan Hawthorne back to Circle Daybreak. If she refused, they were to take her out. Sam had also confessed that Meegan just happened to be his soulmate. If the situation hadn't become so serious, the irony of the whole thing might be amusing, she and Sam /both/ finding soulmates in the good twin and the bad twin they were sent to spy on.  
  
But Ginger couldn't find any amusement anymore. She didn't know what would happen next.  
  



	18. Part 18

Part 18  
  
"So she actually pulled it off?" Annaliese couldn't believe it. Fortuna had actually managed to get her assassin have Sincerity Hawthorne turned into a werewolf. Annaliese didn't know what to say when Shadow filled her in on the new insane plan.  
  
Shadow nodded. "The idea behind it is all she has to do now is sit back and watch the two sisters destroy each other."  
  
Annaliese shook her head. The two girls and Wilson were sprawled out in the apartment's living room watching some incomprehensible Japanese fantasy movie with subtitles. Shadow had casually dropped her information on Fortuna's plan during a commercial break.  
  
Wilson reached across Shadow, grabbing the popcorn bowl from Annaliese. "Maybe that'll be better watching than this stupid movie," he commented.  
  
Shadow chuckled. "Hey, you're the dick who wanted to watch this."  
  
Annaliese sat back, letting them argue amongst themselves. They were discussing watching the destruction of two twin sisters like it was just another movie. She herself had been the idiot who had suggested Fortuna take a dig at the former-human sister.  
  
Annaliese was a Night Person, humans and the fate of humans shouldn't bother her. But of course, the sisters involved were both werewolves now. Fortuna's jealousy of Meegan Hawthorne didn't make sense. And here she was, sat doing nothing.  
  
She wanted to help somehow, but had no idea what. It wasn't like she wanted to run off and beg for Circle Daybreak to settle this. But Annaliese thought grudgingly, I may have no choice.  
  
Fortuna was her friend or had been. Fortuna wanted to work in the assassin field with Shadow. Annaliese glanced over at the vampire girl, she and Wilson had stood up and were on their way to their bedroom. She didn't get the fascination with Shadow. It wasn't like she was even from an important vampire family, or even rich and powerful. And there were hundreds of other Night World assassins out there.  
  
Annaliese sighed, and turned off the TV. What do I do here?  
  
Sincerity groaned, her eyes opened slowly. She felt different. The last thing she remembered was being on the edge of a forest, in a car with Marlon. She'd heard howling. Then there was running - someone - her running - something had been chasing her. She remembered blood and screaming, and then everything had gone black.  
  
She sat up to find herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. She was in a double bed the centre of the room. There was a wardrobe to the right of the room, and a closed door next to it. Next to the bed was a nightstand with a stereo system and a digital clock. There was a single white chest of draws and a dressing table, with a window above the dressing table. Opposite the bed was a desk and a chair.   
  
Sniffing, Sincerity was overwhelmed with a multitude of scents she'd ever experienced. She could smell incense, and candles, identify everything that had been used in this room the night before. She could smell the after-scent of people who had been in the room - three witches, at some point a vampire and a human with a hint of something else to her.  
  
Was this normal? Sincerity rubbed her head. Her vision was clearer too. All her senses were uncannily sharpened. She slid out of bed. She was wearing an over size pink t-shirt with Eeyore on she knew she didn't belong to her.  
  
Opening the wardrobe Sincerity caught sight of herself in a full-length mirror on inside of the front door. She had always been pretty but now - Sincerity just stared at herself, entranced by the beauty of her own reflection. Her skin had the look of pure marble, as beautiful as untouched, pure white snow. Her eyes shone as stunning as blue as sapphires. Her strawberry blonde hair had gold high lights and despite that, an odd almost dark beauty to it.  
  
She didn't even hear the bedroom door opening until she saw Ginger's reflection behind her. Ginger was smiling.  
  
"Well I see Narcissus has finally dragged herself out of bed."  
  
Sincerity blinked for a few seconds and remained where she was, not sure what Ginger was talking about - then she got the joke. "Oh. Oh. Shut up."  
  
She turned around. Ginger looked dreadful, her clothes were crumpled as if she'd been wearing them for days. Her cheeks were tear streaked, and there were bags under her eyes. Her dark hair was a dishevelled mess. "You look terrible. What happened?"  
  
Ginger threw her arms around Sincerity and hugged her tightly. Still confused, Sincerity returned the embrace, feeling the warmth of their soulmate connection wrap its arms around them, holding them close together.  
  
"So what happened to me? I feel like I've been sleeping for a week," Sincerity said.  
  
Ginger shook her head. "Only a day and a half."  
  
Sincerity's eyebrows shot up. "I've been gone that long? My parents will be going totally mental! What if they called the police?"  
  
"Oh, we've already taken care of that - we told them you're staying here and working on a school project. They believed me." Ginger smiled a little. "And Dayna brainwashed the school secretary into marking you present so it looks like you've been in class."  
  
Sincerity was impressed. "Seems like you guys have thought of everything. So how come I'm - different?"  
  
"You were bitten by a werewolf," Ginger told her. "You're a Night Person now."  
  
Sincerity nodded, stepping aside and closing the wardrobe door. "This is the Daybreak place?"  
  
Ginger nodded. "Yes. There - there's a few other things you need to know. About your sister."  
  
Sincerity's eyes rolled. "What's she done now?"  
  
She listened as Ginger filled her in on Meegan's own change to werewolf, including the assassin job. Sincerity was actually not all that shocked. She didn't really give any sort of reaction to the news at all. Everything about Meegan's sudden change made sense now, all the unfilled blanks were no longer a mystery.  
  
"So Meegan thinks she can keep the Night World and its power just for her," she said, smiling, shaking her head. "Where are my clothes?"  
  
"Shredded and messy, we couldn't save them. You can use some of my things."  
  
"Okay. Thanks." She waited. Ginger took the hint and left the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
Sincerity found herself something to wear - eventually settling on a short black sleeveless scoop-necked dress, exposing a daring amount of her new ice-pale skin, and her glorious mane of red gold hair loose. She heard voices murmuring downstairs.  
  
Turning Sincerity opened the window. She found a pair of black sandals in the wardrobe, slipped them on, then hoisted herself onto the window sill and jumped silently to the ground, landing perfectly, not breaking anything, not even a nail.  
  
A smirk curved her lips as Sincerity made for the back yard gate.  
  



	19. Part 19

Part 19  
  
She'd been gone the better part of two days. Meegan knew something was wrong with Sincerity. None of Sincerity's friends knew where she was or what was wrong, and there were whispers going round that she was responsible.  
  
Meegan didn't know what to think. At the end of the second day of Sincerity's disappearance, she tracked Victoria to the club they had hung out at that afternoon when they had cut together.  
  
An attractive Asian boy answered the door, eyeing her with undisguised interest. "How can I be of service?" His tone was almost - mocking.  
  
Meegan was in no mood for games. "I want to see Victoria. Now." She shoved him out the way and walked into the club.  
  
Looking around she could see a few people behind the bar, one girl in a slinky red dress was flirting with a few of the bar guys.  
  
"Victoria's not here." The guy from the door appeared behind Meegan.  
  
Meegan glanced at him in surprise. "I just followed her here. Where the hell did she go?"  
  
He shrugged. "She left with Shadow Branch about two minutes ago."  
  
Meegan didn't understand. What the hell was going on? How could Victoria have left when Meegan had been right behind her? But Victoria and Shadow together? What were they up to?   
  
Her eyes swept round the club again. And came to rest on a leopard print sofa where two guys one tall with shoulder length jet black hair dressed in a white shirt and black leather pants, the other shorter, but with muscular torso had a mane of blond curls and was dressed in jeans and a green t-shirt with rips like claw marks in the fabric were flirting with a beautiful strawberry blonde girl in a strapless dress who sat between them.  
  
"Sincerity?" Meegan stormed over, not sure if she was amused or furious. This wasn't the Sincerity she remembered. This Sincerity had been touched with Night World power, she shone with new and fresh beauty. She practically glowed.  
  
Sincerity just smiled angelically. "I was wondering when you'd show up. This is Marlon, and this is Thatcher." She nodded first at the dark haired boy, then at the blond one.  
  
"Unimpressed," Meegan snapped. "What the hell are you playing at?"  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "Little accident with a werewolf. Did you think I would never find out about this place?"  
  
Meegan stared at her sister in disbelief. Sincerity had become a werewolf like her? "I wasn't given a choice."  
  
"Neither was I, but hey, this is so much cooler."  
  
"Everyone's worried about you."  
  
Sincerity snorted. "Like you even care."  
  
Meegan didn't know what to say. She didn't care. She shouldn't care. It was Sincerity's life, she should to be able to do what she wanted. That was all well and good - when Sincerity had been human.  
  
"So you found your way in. So what?" Meegan's tone was harsh. Just because Sincerity was a newly bitten werewolf didn't mean she had any understanding on how the Night World really worked. "Doesn't change a thing."  
  
Sincerity continued to just sit where she was and smile. "Afraid of a little competition?"  
  
"From you?" Meegan laughed. "You'll never survive, I give you a week at best before hunters take you out." She turned on her heal and stalked out, shoving a table over along with a few chairs that got in her way. She wanted to smash something, kill things.  
  
Her fury was rising, along with the wolf inside her. Her shape was changing right there in the club parking lot. All traces of humanity were quickly fading as she fell on all fours, her clothes ripping as white fur began to spread over her form, her feet and hands becoming claws and paws.  
  
Free at last. A howl escaped Meegan's throat as the white wolf charged out the parking lot.  
  



	20. Part 20

Part 20  
  
"Why didn't you stop her?" Marissa demanded.   
  
All eyes were on Ginger. Ginger didn't know what to say. It had been two hours since she had come down stairs, and there had been no sign of Sincerity or any sounds from her room. After knocking for a few minutes and getting no response Ginger had gone inside to find the window open and Sincerity gone.   
  
"Did she say anything to you?" Sam asked.   
  
"No," Ginger said defiantly. Just because Sincerity happened to be her soulmate didn't mean she knew everything there was to know about the girl. "If I knew, I'd have said so."  
  
"Well think about it, she's just become a werewolf and she's going to want to explore her Night World power, right?" Dayna's eyes slid to Ginger.  
  
Ginger shrugged. "I guess so."  
  
Come to think of it, she recalled Sincerity was kind of pissed off about Meegan having Night World power and refusing to share it with her.  
  
"So where's the first place you'd go to start exploring that new world?" Dayna continued.  
  
"Hey, has anyone heard from Marlon?" Sam interjected. "It's a bit strange that all this happens to Sincerity as soon as he comes on the scene."  
  
"I checked his background, you're not going to like this - he's a Blackthorn assassin," Marissa announced.  
  
"And you waited until now to tell us?" Ginger snapped.  
  
"I only found out myself twenty minutes ago!" Marissa snapped back.  
  
"Isn't it weird for assassins to get people changed into werewolves?" Dayna put in. "Their job is to kill people."  
  
"Maybe the werewolf thing was an accident," Ginger offered.  
  
A disturbing thought occurred to her, and probably to everyone else as well. If Marlon was an assassin and Sincerity had been the target - was he still going to be after her to finish the task, if the werewolf thing really was an accident?  
  
Ginger wanted to scream. The frustration had been boiling up inside her for days. All the worry and stress she had worked herself into after the soulmate discovery had been briefly released by Sincerity's willingness to accept the connection. They had been together and it had been strange and intriguing yet at the same time the most wonderful experience of Ginger's life. Then when Sincerity had been attacked - that anxiety and stress came flooding right back in.   
  
"Ginger?" Sam was talking to her. He sounded concerned.  
  
"I'm fine," Ginger snapped. "What are we going to do about Sincerity?"  
  
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. She would not cry. This was not her fault. It wasn't like she'd asked for this to happen. If she and Sam hadn't come here, then none of this would be happening. Downstairs, she heard the safehouse door opening.  
  
"Where the hell is everyone?" Trent's voice was calling. He sounded a little breathless. Ginger hadn't even noticed he hadn't been there.  
  
"We're upstairs," Marissa called to him. Trent came up the stairs two at a time. "Sincerity's gone AWOL on us," Marissa explained.  
  
"Uh-huh. I don't know if this has anything to do with that, but there's a large white wolf roaming around town and boy is it pissed off. I heard it's attacked and killed two people already."  
  
Silence fell once again.  
  
"Werewolf?" Ginger's throat was very dry, a sinking feeling in her stomach was making her sick. She forced herself to stay sharp and not pass out.  
  
"A pretty safe bed," Trent answered grimly. "The Dog Catcher and the Police are after it. If they get there first, they'll shoot it."  
  
Ginger followed the group down the stairs and out the door. Sam took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, not that it really made any difference to her. Oh Sincerity, what have you done? she thought.  
  



	21. Part 21

Part 21  
  
The vermin had guns, but it would have been so easy for Meegan to tear into the crowd and start ripping people's guts out. Hew white paws were already stained with blood and dirt.  
  
"Just shoot it already!" a terrified voice from the crowd screeched.  
  
The white wolf growled at the crowd. They had backed her into a corner in a convenience store parking lot between two cars, against a wall, making it impossible for her to escape. Crowds of humans had gathered to watch, as well as two uniformed police officers with guns pointed at her.  
  
Meegan growled in frustration without a clue how to handle the situation. She couldn't change back into her human form, for one thing she would be naked and second the crowd would freak and the vermin cops would shoot her anyway.  
  
Damn you Sincerity, you are going to be so dead when I get my hands on you.  
  
This was all Sincerity's fault. If she died now, Sincerity would have herself to blame. The cops were actually starting to lower their guns at her, and another car with its lights whirring was arriving.   
  
"Hold it, stop, don't shoot her."  
  
Meegan looked past the cops as she heard the voice. She stared in surprise as at a large black limo that had pulled up behind the police car. Shadow was making her way through the crowd. She wore a red leather halter neck that barely contained her breasts, and matching red leather pants. Her long black hair fell loose around her shoulders. She had such a look at me presence about her, and it was working too. All eyes were now on Shadow, and the three almost as beautiful girls behind her.  
  
One was a tall blonde dressed in a strapless leopard print dress, the other a small redhead in denim hot-pants and a white strappy top, the other a medium height brunette in a strapless and backless black dress.  
  
Meegan didn't know what to think. What the hell did these girls think they were doing?  
  
From the smirks on their pretty faces it was clear they were enjoying the attention they were receiving. They craved the stares, basked in the murmurs and desires from the gawking crowd.  
  
Meegan just wanted to sneer in disgust and get as far away from the parking lot as possible. Shadow was holding a diamond studded dog collar with an attached leash in her hands. Confidently, she gently pushed the two cops aside and headed over to the snarling wolf. "My doggie got a little wild." She held out a hand.  
  
Meegan growled, but seeing no other opportunity for escape, as the cops put their guns away she moved towards Shadow, who fastened the collar around her neck. Shadow patted her head, scratching her behind the ears. "Naughty doggie," she said, smiling seductively.  
  
The crowd parted as Shadow and her friends, taking Meegan with them, got back into the limo. Shadow snapped her fingers and the limo took off, heading back to Shadow's apartment. Once inside Meegan was finally able to change back to her human form.  
  
"Aren't you going to thank us?" Shadow asked.  
  
Meegan scowled and took the collar off, throwing it to the ground. "No."  
  
"Aww, too bad, we coulda had some real fun with that."   
  
Meegan's eyes rolled as Wilson appeared, standing between one of the doorways, his eyes roving shamelessly over Meegan's naked body.  
  
"Maybe later," Shadow murmured.   
  
"Here." Wilson tossed Meegan a green spandex jumpsuit. Meegan's eyes rolled, but just wore the thing, deciding not to complain. She glanced over at the brunette, blonde and redhead who were sitting on Shadow's couch.  
  
"Who the hell are they?" she asked.   
  
"Orchid," Shadow nodded at the brunette, "Zircona," she nodded at the blonde, "and Buffy." She nodded finally at the redhead. "They're sisters, and witches, specialise in brainwashing."  
  
"Whatever. I'm leaving now."  
  
Meegan didn't care if she sounded rude or ungrateful. She was furious about the whole afternoon. She was still pissed off at Sincerity and her change hadn't helped at all. She had fed at least, on two livers, but now her stomach felt like led.  
  
With nothing else to do, she went home - only to find Sam waiting in her bedroom. "Got anything else to make this day worse?" she quipped. Sam's eyebrows had gone up at seeing her in the vile skin tight spandex outfit. Meegan sighed. "Don't ask. Just go, I don't want to deal with anymore today."  
  
Sam shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere." He moved to her side as she sat down on the bed. He pulled her into his arms, warming her with his body. As his hands touched hers, their soulmate spark ignited, really not so painful and shocking now. It wasn't so bad anymore, kind of like a blanket of white light wrapping itself around them for extra warmth. Meegan sighed as she snuggled close to him. "I don't know about this."  
  
Sam held her and stroked her hair. "Me either. But - "  
  
Meegan moved so she was lying on top of him, pressing her lips against his to stop him speaking. Her anger had faded completely, and her bad mood had gone as well. Sam was still a virtual stranger to her, it was curious how he could have such an incredible effect on her, despite her worries about their soulmate thing. "I know, I know. But now is just about us."  
  



	22. Part 22

Part 22  
  
Now what?" Sincerity was annoyed. Some jerk had been following her. Yet again a car was pacing her as she walked. This time it was a white sedan with darkened windows so she couldn't see who was inside. She had decided this tie she didn't want to know who the driver was, and was not going to speak to them. The last time she had done something foolish like that she had wound up becoming a werewolf.  
  
"So where were you? What happened?" Kitty was beside her, the two girls were on their way to Sincerity's house.   
  
Sincerity had left the Black Iris some time ago, deciding she needed to take care of some damage control. While Ginger and her Daybreak friends may be able to fool teachers and her parents, Sincerity knew her own friends would not be so easily fooled. They, like Kitty, were full of questions.  
  
"I told you already, I hooked up with this guy and we went to his place for a few days in the city," Sincerity said, smiling smugly at her cover story.  
  
The only one who could contradict her was Meegan, and she knew her sister wouldn't do that, wouldn't take the risk of exposing her own secret. Marlon had been oddly absent since the whole werewolf incident, and Sincerity got the impression he was gone for good now.  
  
"What guy? Are you going to see him again?"  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "I don't know, I gave him my number and he promised he would contact me in a few days." She pushed open the front door to her house, glancing back as Kitty bounded inside before her.  
  
The white sedan was still there, still driving slowly, blocking the driveway. Kitty paused, following Sincerity's gaze, looking from her to the car. "Someone you know?"  
  
Sincerity shook her head. "I don't think so. Come on." She took her friend's arm and tugged her into the house, closing the door firmly behind her. Passing through the mansion on their way to the kitchen Sincerity heard noises in one of the living rooms.   
  
"Hey, check that out. Since when were Meegan and the new guy a couple?"  
  
Sincerity turned to see where Kitty was pointing. Sure enough, sat on the couch were Meegan and Sam Barlow, who Sincerity recognised as one of the Daybreakers. Meegan was wearing the most hideous lime green jump suit, and sat close to Sam, his arm was around her shoulders.   
  
The Daybreakers were the good guys, and Meegan was supposed to be one of the bad guys. It made no sense.  
  
"I never understand what she does anymore," she sighed.   
  
Kitty didn't wait with Sincerity while she made a sandwich. Kitty bounded into the living room and began to bombard Meegan and Sam with questions. Sincerity smiled, and found herself thinking of the white sedan outside her house. Was it still there? Curiosity had almost gotten her killed before.  
  
Now though - she was stronger, more powerful. She could handle anything the world throw at her with her new Night World powers. "I have to just go check something," Sincerity called to Kitty. "I'll be with you in a sec."  
  
She hurried back through the house and out the front door. The car was still there, still blocking the driveway. She walked over to it and tapped on the tinted window. The window slid down, revealing a raven haired girl she didn't recognise inside the car. Vampire Sincerity thought, using her new powers to sense the species of the girl.  
  
"What do you want with me?" Sincerity asked the girl.  
  
The girl smiled. "You've got new power and you want to explore it. I can help you there."  
  
Sincerity laughed dryly. "How generous of you." She was amazed at the change in herself. Two days ago she would have been the one offering help, and so grateful to receive anything given to her. Now though, suspicion had wormed its way in. "Who are you."  
  
"My name's Shadow Branch," the girl answered. She waited.  
  
Sincerity shrugged. "Never heard of you."  
  
Shadow shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You want that power or not? If you do, go to your bedroom and you'll find the first step there waiting for you."  
  
"What - " Before she could complete the question Shadow had rolled the window up and was driving off, leaving Sincerity staring after her. How did this girl know about her? Who the hell was she, anyway?  
  
Sincerity went back inside the house. She heard Kitty's voice from the living room. From the sound of it she and Meegan were arguing over the remote control for the TV. Sincerity hesitated a moment, then went upstairs to her bedroom.  
  
She stood just inside the door, looking around, though wasn't really sure what she was looking for. What her could help her gain power? A cold breeze from the window made her shiver. She moved to close it.  
  
She didn't see the club coming until it knocked her out.  
  



	23. Part 23

Part 23 

Ginger wanted to feel relief that Sincerity was okay. Sincerity had stopped by the safehouse some time ago to apologize for running off. She hadn't been the wolf that had attacked people, that had been her sister. That had apparently been taken care of as well.

Ginger knew she should feel better that Sincerity hadn't hurt anyone. Sincerity had said she was just so thrown off by the change she'd gone a little nuts but was much calmer now. She needed to spend some time with her family so she had gone home for the night to avoid any more suspicions.

Sam had gone to find Meegan, Marissa had gone to a movie with her boyfriend. Trent was out for the night as well, and Dayna was downstairs in the living room watching /Queer Eye for the Straight Guy/.

Ginger was sitting in her room, trying to do her homework, but found her concentration was lacking. Since the first time she and Sam had arrived in town, this was the first normal night. She wanted to be able to relax and enjoy it like everyone else - so why wasn't she?

She and Sam were supposed to be making their first report to the Vegas Daybreak headquarters in two days time. She had already decided she was going to ask if she could be relocated to the safehouse to allow her to stay with her soulmate. Sam said he saw no reason that Lord Thierry shouldn't allow that. Sam was going to try and talk Meegan into coming back with him to get her back on the right path. Everything looked like it was going pretty well.

But Ginger couldn't relax. Maybe hearing Sincerity's voice could help, she thought as she picked up the phone in her room. Sincerity had never said that Ginger couldn't call her. No one was answering and Ginger was about to hang up - when at last she heard a voice.

"Hello?"

"Sincerity?"

"No, this is Meegan. I take it Sincerity is not with you then."

I knew it, Ginger thought, resting her head on the desk. I knew something was going to go wrong. "No, she told me she was going to go home tonight."

"She was here, but she's gone now. "

Ginger sat up. "I'm coming over." She hung up.

Meegan's eyes rolled as she stared at the phone, the dial tone ringing in her ear. Fifteen minutes later there was still no sign of Ginger. Meegan hadn't bothered mentioning the call to Sam yet. He sat on the bed, watching her. Meegan didn't know what to say. She had her back to him, sat on the window seat, trying to contemplate her next move, what she was going to do when Sam left in two days time.

"What's going on?" Kitty's voice called from downstairs.

Meegan scowled. Kitty was really getting on her nerves. It was taking every ounce of her self control not to shift and tear the bitch to pieces. Sam was stting on the bed, shaking his head and trying not to grin.

"I'm sure you're probably doing me some good but part of me feels like eating /you/," Meegan growled.

Sam grinned, watching her put the phone down. "I know, but you can't eat me - or Kitty no matter how much you might want to. What's happening?"

Meegan shook her head. Se couldn't understand why Sincerity had just disappeared and abandoned her friend. Sincerity would never do a thing like that. Then again, Meegan realised, it was the type of thing her sister would never have done before she became a werewolf. Sincerity had already sneaked off once. "Ginger is coming over, but Sincerity isn't with her."

"What's going on? Where's Sincerity gone?" Kitty appeared in the door way, hands on her hips, looking from Meegan to Sam for an explanation. "I am not hanging around with you losers if she's gone."

"Sincerity isn't feeling well. She says she's really sorry but you need to go home, Kitty." The voice was Ginger's. She came in behind Kitty, then moved to stand in front of her. Ginger repeated her excuse, staring unblinkingly into Kitty's eyes.

Kitty stared back, then blinked a few times. "Oh. Okay then. I guess I'll see her in school tomorrow then." Kitty walked off.

Meegan had to admit if only to herself that she was impressed with Ginger's brainwashing magic. She hadn't thought Ginger had much power at all. Ginger took a crumpled piece of paper out her jeans pocket. "I did a location spell," Ginger said. "This is where Sincerity is. I guess I thought you should know."

"Did you tell anyone else? Call any backup?" Sam asked as he stood up, grabbing his jacket and car keys from the bed.

Ginger shook her head. "I did the spell and came over."

Sam shrugged. "Never mind. We'll scope the place out. I'm sure it's something we can handle."

Meegan heard the conversation but she wasn't really listening. She was staring at the address on the piece of paper Ginger had given to her.

"Meegan?" Sam's hand covered her. "You're as white as a sheet. What's wrong?"

Meegan's mouth opened. Her throat had become oddly parched. "This is…this is the place where Shadow and I used to take…" It was hard for her to get the words out. She watched Sam and Ginger exchanging glances. "This is the building we used to take our victims to," she said finally. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Victims?" Ginger croaked out.

"Yeah," Meegan answered harshly. "I was an assassin remember? That's why you came here - to stop me wasn't it? I worked with Shadow." She scowled, anger darkening her eyes and turning her lips into a frown. She could feel her beast growling just beneath her flesh. How /dare/ Shadow betray her like this. That bitch was going to /pay/. "Let's go get Sincerity back," Meegan said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


	24. Part 24

Part 24 

Sincerity's eyes moved about the abandoned apartment. Most of the place was dingy and broken. The only people hanging around were vampires feeding and human junkies.

Sincerity had woken on a couch, acing the same woman from the car who had been following her earlier that evening. The woman was sat in a green, moth-eaten chair, long legs crossed at the knees. Sincerity's new extra enhanced shapeshifter senses were in overload in the rundown apartment.

"If you had someone kidnap me, why aren't I tied up?" she asked, swinging her legs around and getting into a sitting position.

Shadow shrugged, smiling angelically. "If you want to go - then feel free to go at any time. You're not under arrest."

"And the vampires lying in wait are just going to let me /walk/ out of here," Sincerity said, smiling back.

Shadow's eyebrows arched. "Your senses have increased pretty well."

Sincerity scowled. "I wasn't exactly given a choice in that matter. I adapt quickly. You really think Ginger and the other Daybreakers won't have noticed I'm missing by now and won't be on their way with a rescue mission?"

Shadow chuckled. Sincerity had to force herself not to wince. Shadow's so-called laughter grated against her ears like nails on a blackboard, or glass breaking. "That's kind of the whole point."

"So this is a trap and I'm the bait," Sincerity sneered, her eyes rolling. "Gee, what an /original/ idea. I'm, like, /so/ scared." She shook her head in disgust.

Shadow shrugged. "When plans work, who cares if they're original or not?"

Sincerity almost smiled. Part of her was actually starting to like the way Shadow thought. And it was absolutely the last thing anyone would ever expect of Sincerity. "So what happened to Meegan? How come she's not here getting in on this little plan of yours?" she asked casually, curious. She couldn't sense her sister's presence anywhere in the building at all. She doubted Meegan would do something as low key and demeaning as say - driving the getaway car. Wouldn't that be a huge let down for the assassin queen?

Shadow smiled strangely. "On the subject of Meegan, I have a proposal for you."

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't look at me like that!" Meegan snapped, glaring at Sam.

Sam held up a hand in mock defence. "I'm not doing anything."

"Keep your eyes on the road," Meegan snarled. She turned away and glared out the window.

Sam was driving them to the abandoned building where Shadow was holding Sincerity. Meegan would never have thought this possible a week ago, when she and Shadow had been sitting in her car outside her house, joking about how to get rid of Sincerity, and now - she was sat in a car with two Daybreakers, one her soulmate and one Sincerity's - going off to rescue her sister from the vampire who had taught Meegan everything she needed to know about the Night World.

The streets of their small town flew pastthe window as they raced for the outskirts of town. The irony was amusing in a weird way. Sam of course, seemed to be thinking this was the break he had been waiting for. The change to remind her that people were worth saving. Then she could go back to Circle Daybreak headquarters with him and Sincerity and they could all live happily ever after.

The thought made Meegan cringe - even after everything they had been through, everything that had happened it was still strange, and the last thing she wanted to do. But she might not have a choice. Even sat in the car, Meegan felt trapped like the metal container was closing in on her, her breathing was ragged, her throat was dry as sandpaper.

"Meegan, are you okay?"

Meegan snapped out of her musings as she felt Ginger's hand gently touch her shoulder. She hadn't even realised she'd pressed her face against the window of the car as if she was trying to climb through the glass to get out and as far away as possible. Meegan shoved Ginger's hand away brutally. She caught a glimpse of the unhappy reaction on Ginger's face in the rear-view mirror as she straightened and looked over at Sam, who was shaking his head.

The streets of comfortable, picturesque houses had thinned out. Street lights were now sparse. Any buildings around were covered in graffiti and boarded up, or had broken windows and kicked in doors.

"Which one is she in?" Sam stopped the car under the only working street light.

"The last one on the left." Susanna got out the car, along with Ginger.


	25. Part 25

Part 25 

Ginger just stared at Sincerity, not entirely sure what to think. She steped over the lifeless bodies of Meegan and Sam, closer to Sincerity and a vampire who introduced herself as Shadow. "I don't understand."

Shadow patted Sincerity's shoulder. "I'll leave you guys to it. The car's waiting outside, but I'm only waiting five minutes." With that, Shadow was gone. Vampires, Ginger thought, a little disgusted.

Sincerity shrugged. "Shadow's convinced me to make use of my new powers. I've had my fun of being the perfect human girl. Now I can be something else. /We/ can be something else. I really believe the Night World is the place where we can do that."

Ginger hadn't really thought about that. She had been discovered by Daybreakers and automatically joined them. Giving the other side a chance had to really be able to explore the full limits of her power with a Night World coven had never occurred to her.

Sincerity held a hand out to her. "Are you in, or are you out?" A smile curved Ginger's lips. No longer would she be laughed at and made fun of. No longer would she be weak and shy and have to have people around to save her and pick up the pieces of messes she made. No one to make sure she didn't accidentally blow something up.

And best of all, Ginger would still have her soulmate by her side. "What the hell," Ginger answered. "Sure."

She took the hand Sincerity offered.

THE END.


End file.
